Tape cutter for textile suction cleaner



2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS Oct. 30, 1962 R. BLACK, JR

TAPE CUTTER FOR TEXTILE SUCTION CLEANER Filed April 24. 1961 BY faim,

Oct. 30, 1962 R. BLACK, JR 3,060,483

TAPE CUTTER FOR TEXTILE sUCTIoN CLEANER Filed April 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /l A fl/ 5 3- a SI 14%. l/Afm INVENTOR. PorExaT L. BLACKJR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O t" 3,660,483 TAPE CUTTER FOR TEXlllLE SUCTIGN CLEANER Robert L. Black, Jr., Charlotte, NC., assigner to Parks- Cramer Company, Worcester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Apr. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 105,088 Claims. (Cl. 15--312) This invention relates to a traveling suction cleaning apparatus particularly devised for removing lint, dust, yarn, tapes and like light material from room and machine surfaces in manufacturing plants, particularly in textile mills. More particularly, this invention relates to a novel cutter mounted `within the suction blower chamber and cooperable with suction blower means, for severing yarn, tapes and the like drawn into the suction blower chamber into short pieces to prevent clogging of the suction blower means and to render the same more readily dischargeable from the suction blower chamber.

The cutter of the instant invention is preferably to be used in a traveling suction cleaning apparatus of the type shown 'and described in a copending application by Grover B. Holtzclaw, Serial No. 759,797, l'lled September 8, 1958 and entitled Traveling Suction Cleaning Apparatus (now Patent No. 3,011,202) which has been assigned to the same assignee as the instant invention.

The apparatus with which the present inventionV is preferably to be used normally comprises an overhead suction means traveling upon suitable tracks above a row of textile machines or the like. The suction means has duct means depending therefrom which extends into close proximity to a surface to be cleaned such that when air is drawn through the duct means by the suction means, any light material such as lint, dust, yarn, tapes and the like will be drawn upwardly through the duct means into the suction means. The suction means also acts as a blower for discharging the light material received therein into a suitable chamber connected thereto which collects the material until the same can be transferred into a suitable receptacle.

In the past, when lengths of yarn, tape and the like were drawn upwardly through the duct means into the suction chamber, the same were likely to wrap around the shaft or hub portion of the fan or to wrap around one or more of the blades of the fan, thus clogging the same and preventing eilicient operation thereof. Also, the yarn, tape and the like had a tendency to build up around the periphery of the fan chamber, interfering withV the ingress of the air therein and the egress of the light material therefrom. This clogging of the fan and air inlet and outlet openings necessitated stoppage of the apparatus and disassembling thereof for cleaning which resulted in increased maintenance and cost.

The present invention has obviated the aforementioned problems which have heretofore been encountered. The apparatus of the present invention provides a cutter which cooperates with the blades of the fan to sever the lengths of yarn, tape and the like into small pieces and prevent the same from becoming wrapped around the` shaft or hub portion of the fan or around the fan blades and also prevent the build up of the same around the periphery of the fan chamber. The severing of the yarn, tape and the like into short pieces renders them more readily dischargeable from the fan chamber into the traveling collection chamber.

It therefore is an object of the present invention to provide an improved traveling suction apparatus for the removal of lint, dust, yarn, tape and like light material from a surface to be cleaned, having means for severing lengths of yarn, tape and like material into small pieces suitable columns 26, only one of which is shown.

lection chamber '22 is adapted to aline with a suitable stationary receptacle 27 at one or more points along itsk 3,060,483 Patented Oct. 30, 1962 ICC to prevent clogging of the apparatus and to render the same more readily dischargeable from the apparatus.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved traveling suction cleaning apparatus of the type adapted to be moved over textile machines having a suction blower including a rotatable fan for removing lint, dust, yarn, tape and like light material from a surface to be cleaned anda cutter positioned adjacent the blades of the fan and cooperable therewith for severing the lengths of yarn, tape and the like into small pieces to prevent clogging of the fan and to render the yarn, tape and the like more readily dischlargeable from the suction blower apparatus.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- :FIGURE l is an end elevation of la traveling suction cleaning apparatus of the type with which the present invention is preferably to be used;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary enlarged top plan detail of the suction means of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1 with the cutter of the present invention shown therein;

lFIGURE. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along line 3--3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is an exploded isometric view of the fan and cutter arrangement of the present invention.

Referring now to FIGURE `l wherein the traveling suction cleaning apparatus with which the apparatus of the present invention is preferably to be used is shown, the apparatus comprises a suction blower means 10i which includes a volute casing 11 having air inlet ducts 12 and 13 and an air outlet duct 14 extending outwardly there* from. Air inlet ducts 12, 13 turn downwardly at their outward ends toward the surfaces to be cleaned. Connected to the downwardly extending outer ends of ducts 12, yll3 are suitable duct extensions 15, 16 which iare preferably in form of flexible tubes which terminate in nozzles 20,21.

Outlet duct 14 communicates with a suitable collection chamber 22 for' collection therein of the light material removed from the surfaces to` be cleaned. 'Ihe traveling suction cleaning apparatus is driven by a suitable motor 23 and moves over suitable tracks 24, 25 supported by Colpath of travel for discharge of the collected light material from the collection chamber into the stationary receptacle 27.

Referring now to FIGURES 2-4, suction blower means I10 further comprises a rotatable shaft 30 which is driven by motor 23'. Mounted on shaft 3l) for rotation therewith is a suitable fan 31 which comprises a hub 32, which may be substantially cylindrical, and a plurality of radi-l ally voutwardly extending fan blades 33. A backing plate 34 having a bowl-shaped central portion 35 is integrally formed with or lixedly connected to the medial portion of hub 32. Blades 33- are connected at their inner ends to the bowl-shaped central portion 3S andalong one side to backing plate 34.

The inner ends of a selected number of the blades 33, in this case preferably 4, extend inwardly toward hub portion 32 further than the rest but are spaced therefrom a distance for reasons to be presently described. l A pair of cutters l36, 37 are mounted on motor 23 which also serves as the support for volute casing 11. CutterV 3'6 comprises a body portion 40* to the outer end of which an upstanding cutting member 41 is attached. It should be noted that upstanding cutting member 41 is substantially perpendicular to the plane of rotation of fan 31 and substantially parallel to the axis of fan 31. Body portion 40 is mounted on motor 23 by suitable screws 42. Cutter 37 comprises a body portion 43 to the outer end of which an upstanding cutting member 44 is attached. Body portion 43 is mounted on motor 23 by suitable screws 45. The inner ends of body portions 40, 43 are formed integrally with or are connected to a collar 46 `which is spaced from shaft 30 a suitable distance to allow hub portion 32 to be placed therein. Collar 46 is of suitable height to receive substantially all of hub portion 32 below the bowl-shaped central portion 35 therein. As aforementioned, the inner ends of the selected number of blades 33 are spaced a distance from the hub portion 32. This distance is slightly greater than the thickness of the -wall of collar 46 to allow the same to be received between hub portion 32 and the inner ends of the :selected number of blades 33. Each of the selected number of blades 33 has a slot 47 formed therein which is spaced outwardly from the axis of rotation of the fan a distance substantially equal to the distance cutting members 41, 44 are spaced from the same axis such that when fan 31 is mounted on the shaft 30, the cutting members 41, 44 ywill pass within slots 47 as fan 31 rotates. The sharp edges of cutting members 41, 44 face in a direction opposite the direction of rotation of fan 31 such that any yarn, tapes, and the like carried thereby will engage the same and be severed.

In operation, as the textile suction cleaning apparatus moves over the textile machines or the like, fan 31 is rotated and draws an air stream laden with lint, dust, yarn, tapes and the like, upwardly through ducts 12, 13 into the fan chamber in casing 11. As the yarn, tapes, and the like are drawn upwardly into the fan chamber, they contact blades 33 of fan 31 and are carried thereby around in the `fan chamber and into contact with the cutting surface on cutting members 41, 44. Cutting members 41, 44 cooperate with slots 47 in the selected number of blades 33 to sever the yarn, tapes, and the like into small pieces which will prevent them from being wrapped around the hub portion 32 of fan 3i and will also render them more readily dischargeable from the fan chamber. Collar 46 shields hub portion 32 from the yarn, tapes, and the like and prevents the hub portion 32 from becoming clogged thereby. If the yarn, tapes, and the like become wrapped around something, it will be the stationary collar 46 and the inner ends of the selected number of blades 33 will serve to prevent excessive accumulation since they will keep the same wiped therefrom.

It will therefore be apparent that a novel means is provided for preventing the clogging of the fan of a traveling suction claening apparatus by yarn, tape, and the like, which means severs the same into small pieces and prevents their clogging the fan and renders them more readily dischargeable from the fan chamber.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although speciiic terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

`1. In a suction cleaner, a casing having air inlet and outlet openings, a rotatable shaft extending into said casing, a fan within said casing mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith for drawing an air stream laden with lint, dust, yarn, tapes and like light material through the air inlet opening and discharging the same through the outlet opening, said fan comprising a hub portion and a plurality of radially extending blades carried thereby, at least some of said blades having slots formed in a medial portion thereof equidistant Ifrom the axis of rotation of said fan and communicating with the edges thereof along which air enters, and a cutter mounted within said casing adjacent said blades and positioned the same distance from the axis of said fan as said slots such that upon rotation of said fan the cutter will pass through said slots to sever into small pieces any yarn, tapes and like material carried by said blades, to prevent clogging of the fan and to render the material more readily dischargeable through the outlet opening.

2. In a suction cleaner, a casing having air inlet and outlet openings, a rotatable shaft extending into said casing, a fan within said casing mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith for drawing an air stream laden with lint, dust, yarn, tapes and like light material through the air inlet opening and discharging the same through the outlet opening, said fan comprising a hub portion and a plurality of radially extending blades carried thereby, at least some of said blades having slots formed in a medial portion thereof equidistant from the axis of rotation of said fan and communicating with the edges thereof where air enters, at least portions of the inner ends of certain of said blades being spaced from said hub portion, a stationary collar positioned around said hub portion between said portions of the inner ends of said certain blades and said hub portion to prevent yarn, tapes and the like from wrapping around the hub portion and clogging the same, and a cutter mounted within said casing adjacent said blades and spaced the same deistance from the axis of said fan as said slots such that upon rotation of said fan said cutter will pass through said slots to sever yarn, tapes and the like carried by said blades into small pieces to thus prevent clogging of the fan and to render the material more readily dischargeable through the outlet opening.

3. In a suction cleaner, a casing having air inlet and outlet openings, a rotatable shaft extending into said casing, a fan within said casing mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith for drawing an air stream laden with lint, dust, yarn, tapes and like light material through the air inlet opening and discharging the same through the outlet opening, said fan comprising a hub portion and a plurality of radially outwardly extending blades carried thereby, at least some of said blades having slots formed in a medial portion thereof equidistant from the axis of rotation of said fan and communicating with the edges thereof along which air enters, at least portions of the inner ends of certain of said blades being spaced from said hub portion, a stationary collar positioned around said hub portion between said portions of the inner ends of said certain blades and said hub portion to prevent, yarn tape and the like from wrapping around the hub portion and clogging the same, the inner ends of at least some of said certain blades being in close proximity to said collar to prevent the build up of yarn, tape and the like on said collar by keeping the same wiped therefrom, and a cutter mounted within said casing adjacent said blades and spaced from the axis of said fan the same distance as said slots such that said cutter will pass through said slots when said fan rotates to sever yarn, tapes and the like carried by said blades into small pieces thus to prevent clogging of the fan and to render the material more readily dischargeable through the outlet opening.

4. In a traveling suction cleaning apparatus of the type adapted to be moved over textile machines and having duct means extending into close proximity to a surface to be cleaned and a chamber for collecting material removed from the surface, a volute casing having at least one air inlet opening communicating with said duct means, and an air outlet opening communicating with the collection chamber, in combination therewith; a rotatable shaft extending into said casing, a fan within said casing mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith for drawing an air stream laden with lint, dust, yarn, tapes and like light material through the inlet opening and discharging the same through the outlet opening, said fan comprising a hub portion and a plurality of radially extending fan blades carried thereby, at least some of said blades having slots formed in a medial portion thereof equidistant from the axis of rotation of said fan and communicating with the edges thereof along which air enters, and a cutter mounted in said casing adjacent said fan blades and spaced the same distance from the axis of said fan as said slots such that upon rotation of said fan said cutter will move through said slots for cooperation therewith to sever into small pieces, yarn, tapes and the like carried by said blades thus to prevent clogging of the `fan and to render the material more dischargeable through the outlet opening.

5. In a traveling suction cleaning apparatus of the type adapted to be moved over textile machines and having duct means extending into close proximity to a surface to Ibe cleaned and a chamber for collecting material removed from the surface, a volute casing having at least one air inlet opening communicating with said duct means, and an air outlet opening communicating with the collection chamber, in combination therewith; a rotatable shaft extending into said casing, a fan within said casing mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith for drawing an air stream laden with lint, dust, yarn, tapes and like light material through the inlet opening and discharging the same through the outlet opening, said fan comprising a hub portion and a plurality of radially extending fan blades carried thereby, at least some of said blades having slots formed in a medial portion thereof equidistant from the axis of rotation of said fan and communicating with the edges thereof approximately Where air enters, at least portions of the inner ends of certain of said blades being spaced from said hub portion, a stationary collar positioned around the hub portion between the same and said portions of the inner ends of said certain blades to prevent yarn, tapes and the like from wrapping around the hub portion and clogging the same, and a stationary cutter mounted in said casing adjacent said fan blades and spaced from the axis of said fan the same distance as said slots such that upon rotation of said fan said cutter will move through the slots for cooperation therewith to sever into small pieces yarn, tapes and the like carried by said blades and to prevent clogging of the fan and render the material more readily dischargeable through the outlet opening.

6. In a traveling suction cleaning apparatus of the type adapted to be moved over textile machines and having duct means extending into close proximity to a surface to be cleaned and a chamber for collecting material removed from the surface, a volute casing having at least one air inlet opening communicating with said duct means, and an air outlet opening communicating with the collection chamber, in combination therewith; a rotatable shaft extending into said casing, a `fan within said casing mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith for drawing an air stream laden with lint, dust, yarn, tapes and like light material through the inlet opening and discharging the Same through the outlet opening, said fan comprising a hub portion and a plurality of radially extending fan blades carried thereby, at least some of said blades having slots formed in a medial portion thereof equidistant from the axis of rotation of said fan and communicating with the edges thereof approximately where air enters, the inner ends of certain of said blades being spaced from said hub portion, a stationary collar positioned around the hub portion between the same and said inner ends of said certain blades to prevent yarn, tapes and the like from wrapping around the hub portion and clogging the same, said inner ends of some of said certain blades being in close proximity to said collar to keep yarn, tapes and the like wiped therefrom to prevent the build up thereon, and a cutter xedly mounted in said casing adjacent said fan blades the same distance from `the axis of said fan as said slots such that said cutter will move through the slots when the fan is rotated for cooperation therewith to sever into small pieces yarn, tapes and the like carried by said blades to prevent clogging of the fan and to render the material more readily dischargeable through the outlet opening.

7. In an overhead track-mounted traveling suction cleaner adapted to be moved over textile machines comprising a suction blower casing, duct means carried by said casing and communicating with the suction side of said suction blower casing, and said duct means extending into close proximity with a surface to be cleaned; the combination therewith of a driven rotary fan member having circularly arranged radially extending blades thereon and disposed within said casing, a stationary member adjacent to a medial portion of said blades of said fan member, one of said members having at least one discontinuous groove in its surface adjacent the other of said members and spaced from the axis of said fan member a distance substantially the same as the distance between said medial portion of said blades and the axis, and the other of said members having at least one relatively short cutting member projecting therefrom in a plane parallel to the axis of said fan member and being positionable within said groove during rotation of said fan member.

8. In an overhead track-mounted traveling suction cleaner adapted to be moved over textile machines, said cleaner comprising a motor, a rotary shaft extendingl from said motor, a fan member iixed on said shaft, a casing enclosing said fan member, substantially radially extending blades on said fan member, inlet duct means on said casing, nozzle means on said duct means terminating in close proximity to a iioor on which said machines are located for drawing lint and lengths of pliable material thereinto and thence to the fan member, said casing having an air outlet, and a collection chamber connected to said outlet; the combination of at least one fixed relatively short and substantially iiat cutting member mounted within said casing adjacent said blades, one of the side edges of at least one of said blades being movable in a plane penetrated by said cutting member during rotation of said fan member, and said last-mentioned blade including means disposed at a medial portion thereof and movable past and in close proximity to at least one flat side of said cutting member to thereby move any pliable material ensnared thereby against the cutting member to sever such material.

9. A structure according to claim 8 in which said lastnamed means moves astraddle said cutting member.

10. A structure according to claim 8 wherein said fan member includes a -substantially cylindrical hub iixed on said shaft and having a substantially bowl-shaped portion thereon spaced from the end of the hub nearest said inlet duct means, the inner end of at least one of said blades being `lixed, in part, to said bowl-shaped portion and being spaced, in part, from the cylindrical hub, and a stationary collar loosely encircling the cylindrical hub and positioned between the cylindrical hub and the lnner end of said spaced portion of said blade whereby `sa1d collar prevents lengths of pliable material from wrappmg around the cylindrical hub during rotation thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,204,912 Riebel et al June 18, 1940 2,224,205 Whitaker Dec. 10, 1940 2,666,570 Howard Ian. 19, 1954 2,733,000 Sparklin Jan. 31, 19'56 OTHER REFERENCES Parks-Cramer Bulletin #411, published Sept. 25, 1958. 

